Pres. Anthony Severly Stuffy Nose Advice

The Situation

Oooooooooooohhh, I'm so sick right now. I can't think. I don't know what to write. So, I figure I write about my severely stuffed nose and give some advice on how to handle it. I officially got sick on Monday, Jan. 5th. However, I've been able to keep the cold at bay until about Wednesday night or Thursday morning. That's when it really started coming on strong. Normally, I use Dristan to clear my stuffy nose. But, there are times when a nasal decongestant won't work. This is one of those times.

My nose isn't just stuffed, it's BLOCKED - full mouth-breathing mode. Nothing is getting through. I can blow out, barely, but I am not able to pull in any air. This completely defeats the purpose of any nasal sprays since you have to actually breathe it in through your nose which I can not do. It sucks because the sinus builds up incredibly, causing headaches. All of this mouth-breathing is causing my mouth and lips to dry out much faster. That means I am waking up with a sore throat and some crusty lips. Also, dry mouth promotes bacteria growth. We'll get to that later.

A few years ago, I used to go crazy with the Dristan. I'd tilt my head back and squeeze the Dristan in my nose, creating a sort of pool that would somehow seep into my nasal cavities. While this could work, Dristan is not exactly a forgiving medication when overused. In other words, too much nasal spray for too long will actually make your stuffed nose worse. On top of that, it burns your nose which is not a placed accustomed to burning so it hurts a lot more. And, I've stopped doing that.

The Remedy

I've used a lot of home remedies which you can find on any website. Saline solution remedy works well but it's a very short time frame as you're only washing out the mucous for more to replace it. And, you have spit it out or let it drain out the other side of the nose. Anyway, you'll never find the remedy I use outside of the United States of Anthony. If you do find this remedy without due credit attached, you'll know it was stolen from me and it works because it's worth repeating.

Idea theft is a double-edged sword.

Take a piece of tissue. You will want the harder tissue as opposed to the soft Kleenex kind of tissue paper. I prefer to go with cheap napkins or paper towel. You'll want to create a sort cylinder about an inch long, pen thick. Don't wrap it so thick. You want it loose but not too loose. So, start tearing off pieces of the tissue and roll it into that shape. If you've got frayed edges, that's good. Don't try to clean it up with scissors or anything. The more frayed the better. You'll need to make about four pieces, two for each nostril.

Bend this cylinder of tissue in half and plug it up your nose hole, frayed edges first (if you got em). The tissue is doing two things now. Because you bent it, it's trying to unbend itself spreading your nostrils open a bit to help breathing. Secondly, the frayed edges of the tissue is helping to collect the mucous a bit, drying out your nose and draining the sinuses a bit. Leave this in your nose for about ten minutes. You may start to feel a little bit of relief after five minutes. Pull them out, blow your nose, (or just blow everything out) and you'll have a few seconds to use some Dristan or other nasal spray (Vick's Nasonex is good). After doing so, quickly shove those fresh pieces of tissue up your nose holes to help keep it open and catch all that mucous that may come out. After some time with this annoying tissue up your nose, you'll begin to breathe easier.

If you're not using spray (prefer pills), just leave the tissue up there.

Remember, I am not just talking about a stuffy nose. I am talking about that full blockage which requires a little more than just a spray. Just leave the tissue up there. You'll get a few hours of sleep this way.

Oh Yeah, I forgot!

Now, about that dry mouth, lips, and so on. Make sure you have Chapstick or Chap-et. Personally, I use Blistex. Wash your mouth out with Listerine to destroy some of that bacteria before you try to sleep. Not only will you wake up with funky breath but that bacteria eats away at your gumb line. So, keep a glass of water by the bed. Make sure to have some Tylenol or whatever you use for headaches.